t9tookey

Obama has nothing to do with this. The writing has been on the wall for many years. I was luck enough to sell my house and get out of Mtown before it really got bad. Back under Bush there were for sale signs all around the borough because people couldn't afford the outrageously high property taxes.

And if you're going to blame Obama, open your eyes and be fair, the Repubs in the House and Senate are just as guilty if not more for being obstructionists.

I switched to FIOS when it was offered because I absolutely hate Comcast and their lack of customer service. Verizon was very good at first but my latest interactions with them shows me they're just as bad. I had a question on whether I was due a payment. Their website said I owed but when I went to make a payment it told me I didn't. I emailed Verizon and received a response that I had a credit balance. A week later I received a bill showing a past due amount. I questioned it three times and the best excuse I got was that sorry about the inconvience, my account was on two different systems my due date is ___. The last response I got from Verizon treated me like I just couldn't understand English so they used short words to explain the problem (even though it was plainly clear I understood how they screwed up).

I received a robocall from Tim Smith, who is a VP in charge of customer service for Pa and De. The call stated to email him with any problems. That was a week ago and I've heard NOTHING. And their response to the software glich was just as big a joke. I (and lot of other people) had to fix it ourselves with no help from Verizon or notification that the problem was fixed. It's really too bad that the only choice for cable (and no, I don't want a satellite dish sitting in my yard or hanging off my house) worse (Comcast) and worsening (Verizon).

And while a cafeteria style choice for channels would be great, they would never do it because the cable companies would never get free money for channels like C-SPAN that nobody watches but everyone has. The prices would become so high on the channels that everyone does watch (ESPN) that it probably wouldn't be cheaper.

Why is HERCO putting up higher glass and blocking the cracks between glass? Why take away home-ice advantage? What is the one thing opposing players say about playing in Hershey, it's tough because of the fan. Dear HERCO, quit trying to santitize the game experience. I don't care how much you or the NHL or anyone else tries to wuss-i-fy the game, hockey is not going to become the "family" atmosphere the sponsors want. Hockey is a tough sport. And if the "casual" fans can't handle what is being said in the stands or on the ice then they don't have to come. And if the "professionals" on the opposing bench can't handle what's being shouted at them, TFB for them and all the better for our guys.

Whether it is murder is your opinion based on your beliefs. My beliefs say that it is typical, backwards, hypocritical, male Republican thinking that it is in anyway moral to force ANYONE to undergo ANY unnecessary medical procedure. And how does this fit in with the Republican stance on smaller government? Seems like bigger, more intrusive government to me!

Whether they call themselves Sammons, Suburban or Comcast they are the worst and most expensive cable company I've ever seen. Never had 1 problem with FIOS, I jumped at the chance to switch the second I found out it was being offered.

Go ahead Verizon, tell WHP to take it or leave it and quit trying to gouge the customers. Can't even stand to watch CBS football coverage anyway, their announcers are the worst.

I'm right there with you Brian. The strip club, Friendly's and Dunkin Donuts on 22 have power but the folks a couple blocks away don't have power. And for 3 days the estimate was 7:00 AM Wed but this afternoon it changed to Fri morning byt 6:30. So it took 3 days for these morons to figure out that they couldn't fix the problem and now it'll take another 3 days before they might be able to fix it?

So PPL needs to stop crowing about how well they're going and how much help they have because apparently they haven't got enough people.

Thought...I can agree and disagree with your friend about job security. I agree because non-union personel have no protection when it comes to their job. They are at-will employees and can be fired anytime for any reason. I disagree because the union eligible personel are protected by the union and do have job security. As a union eligible employee, the only reason you don't have job security is if you are a total screw up and don't do your job.

And again "Genius"...the commuters already provide revenue to the city by going to businesses in the city. And again "Genius"...people in the Harrisburg city limits do not stop at the city limits. They actually travel to places like the Colonial Park Mall, Harrisburg East Mall, HersheyPark, Giant Center. These people are using or are potentially using the resources and services of every muncipality the cross into just like commuters use or potentially use the same resources and services of Harrisburg City.

So why should I pay money to Harrisburg city for my 40 hours a week there, especially when I have no say in how my money is spent? And can the residents of Harrisburg city really afford a tax hike of 150%? What they should do is start cutting politicians' salaries, make Thompson repay the city for renovating her office and maybe cut some of her cronies.

While I agree that the state should be kicking in more money in lieu of property taxes, $3-$5 millions is excessive to say the least (especially in these economic times). If she put out a resonable number she might stand a better chance.

@wellscuseme-Why would it be alright for people who work in Harrisburg, but don't live there, to pay taxes for "services" without any voice in how that money is spent? And if it is alright for one city or muncipality to levy such a tax, why can't another city or muncipality levy it? You think all residents of Harrisburg city never leave the city limits? City residents leave the city for work, shopping or entertainment are using resources in other cities/muncipalities that they don't pay for. So are city residents that travel to Lower Paxton or Susquehanna township freeloaders? They don't pitch in.

More to the point, the commuters into the city didn't pitch in to cause the problems in the first place. We didn't cast one vote for Mayors Reed or Thompson.

And commuters into Harrisburg already pitch in. Commuters frequent the businesses downtown, creating revenues for the city. Put this commuter tax in place and those businesses will lose money (and potentially go out of businesses) because not only do the commuters no longer have money to spend, but the residents of the city that work in the city will not have money to spend.

Bottomline, the commuters didn't make the mess, why should we help clean it up?

However, the city already has a plan but the council doesn't like it because they want money that's not their's (commuter tax). Along with the commuter tax comes a huge increase in taxes on City resident's as well. Then, everyone in Dauphin County will end up paying more in property taxes (eventually) to make up for what revenue the County didn't get because they paid gaming revenue to the city.

Combined, the city government is cutting their cut off to spite their face. Commuters and residents will end up with less money to spend in the city. On top of that, she may end up driving residents out of the city. Does a loss of businesses and residents help the city?

That's right Linda, raise the taxes on city residents 150% so those that do live in the city can no longer afford to spend money in city businesses (and could ultimately lead to an exodus of city residents to the suburbs). Then, tax the non-residents who work in the city and cut off a great deal more of the money spent in city businesses. And to top it off, Dauphin County residents will see revenue to the county decrease because Linda wants Dauphin County to hand over more gaming revenue.

I'd love to hear why Linda thinks the state would go from contributing $450,000 a year to $3-$5 millions a year? Especially with state congressmen from Dauphin County lining up against a commuter tax. She also needs the states approval for the plan. If not, the Act 47 plan is put in place whether the city wants it or not.

Sorry, but state workers kick in plenty to the cities businesses on a daily basis. All these tax increases will do is give Harrisburg residents that work in the city as well as the commuters less money to spend in the businesses surrounding the Capitol Complex.

And the citizens of Dauphin County are already on the hook for some of that incinerator debt. Dauphin County is a guarantor of some of that debt. The city doesn't pay, Dauphin County will.

And the argument that, as commuters, we use serivces (like plowing, trash removal, police protection) that the city provides is a hollow argument. If one city or municipality has the right to tax people who drive on their roads, throw trash in their public trash cans or call their police for help then EVERY city or muncipality should have that ability. You can't tell me that people living in Harrisburg never leave Harrisburg. Need to go to the mall? Neither the Colonial Park malll nor the Harrisburg East mall are in Harrisburg City. Going for a day of fun at HersheyPark or a concert at the Giant Center? Again, neither are in Harrisburg City.

If you are really worried about stopping an us vs them mentality, this tax doesn't stop it. In fact, it just reinforces it. Because now people look at their decreasing paycheck and say, "Well, why do we have to pay for them?"

I'm not much for the state taking the city over, but considering the ineptitude of the people running the city I don't know that it is a bad idea.

So first, they're going to add a major tax increase on all Harrisburg residents so that Harrisburg residents that work in Harrisburg will have less money to support businesses in the city. Then, they're going to tax commuters that work in the city so the commuters have less money to spend at businesses in the city. Less people spending money at businesses in the city means less revenue for said businesses and eventually Harrisburg has little to no businesses outside of the state buildings and restaurant row. How does this make sense?

Not used to fund a lavish lifestyle? So he took money away from sick children for a f'in boat that he used for hospital and charitable reasons? Did he take the kids he was screwing over out sailing on the boat? Did their families get to stay in the mansion and drive those expensive cars?

Joe, what did you expect from this contract? Come into reality, (if this is the official contract) this contract is way better than I thought we'd get. I can't believe we're actually getting raises. I also expected much higher contributions to health care benefits.

I don't see how this doesn't pass with a big majority, unless there are a ton of people that are living in a dream world.

Preston's salary is the least of the problems when it comes to state worker salaries (especially since his salary is not paid by taxpayer funds). It's time to cut the size of the legislator and the size of their staffs. Really, a staffer being paid over $100,00? Time to cut these salaries down to $40,000-$60,000.

Of course, there would be more money in the state coffers if the Rebuplicans would quit licking the boots of their corporate overlords and allow changes that would require big businesses and the ultra wealthy to pay their fair share of taxes. Can't do that though, if they had to pay taxes there would be less money for campaign contributions.

I think it's about time HERCO did this. I think a lot of Bears fans would go to see indoor lacrosse (including this one). This would probably draw a lot better than arena football and having a rival in WB/S helps even more.